Thirty years ago this weekend, John Watson won his first grand prix and shaved off his beard in celebration. Jenson Button has been threatening to do the same since that momentous drive in Hungary last Sunday, even though the Englishman's hirsute appearance does not possess the same strength and trademark quality of Watson's whiskers. Otherwise, there is a remarkable similarity between the two, not least the British national anthem ringing out in the immediate aftermath of their unexpected success.

Watson's maiden victory came in his forty-first grand prix and it took another 75 attempts before he won another. At the current rate of going, that means Button will have to wait until 2010 before stepping on top of the podium again. Such a delay is highly unlikely, but it does illustrate the difficulty that comes with being in a car that is capable of winning under unusual circumstances, but not when the races follow their usual form.

Watson drove for Penske, a privately owned team that was never on a par with Ferrari, Lotus, McLaren and Tyrrell, the pacesetters of the day. This was the memorable year in which James Hunt won the championship for McLaren after a tense battle with Niki Lauda and Ferrari.

Just as Button did, Watson grabbed his chance during the Austrian Grand Prix and made no mistakes on a damp but drying track.

In the five remaining races in 1976 - the same for Button this season - Watson's best result would be a distant sixth place. Button will be aiming at least for podium finishes between now and the final race in October, but his results will be determined largely by the competitiveness of his Honda.

Button has Watson's full sympathy as certain sections of the media seem to expect another win at the next round in Turkey in a fortnight's time.

'The motor sport magazines in particular are struggling for sales and they'll milk this for all they're worth,' says Watson. 'Jenson did a superb job in Hungary, there is no question about that. He will be feeling pumped up and raring to go. But the reality is that Honda are currently the fourth team behind Renault, Ferrari and McLaren.

'They did everything right in unforeseen circumstances and deserved the win. The result in Hungary will have given Honda a desperately needed boost and I'd go so far as to say it has saved a number of people in the team who were worried about receiving their P45s at the end of the month.'

The problem is it takes so many elements to come together to beat the likes of Ferrari and Renault. 'I don't think Honda are in a position to do that,' says Watson. 'Or least, not for as long the parent company in Japan is instructing the team [in England] what to do. McLaren, Ferrari and Renault are run by individuals such as Ron Dennis and Jean Todt.

'They are racing people - that's the difference. Jenson's success in the future depends on how long it takes Honda to move forward or how long he decides to remain with Honda.'

Button is extremely happy with Honda and is showing no sign of wishing to leave the Oxfordshire-based team he has been with since 2003. None the less, Watson also raises questions about the Englishman possessing a burning desire to win, as shown so graphically by Michael Schumacher last weekend.

With his championship rival, Fernando Alonso, having retired from the lead when a wheel nut came off his Renault, Schumacher was desperate to score as many points as he could even though the Ferrari and its Bridgestone tyres were struggling to cope with the drying track in the closing stages. Schumacher's defence of third and, later, fourth place was, to put it mildly, robust. He paid the price in the end when contact with another car broke the Ferrari's steering arm. Watson wonders whether Button has the same rage to win.

'Michael was almost over the top in what he did when defending his position,' says Watson. 'But, at the same time, he showed unbelievable fire.

'Alonso has it. So does Kimi Raikkonen. But not many others. It's up to Jenson now to prove that he has it in him. He may have won his first race but you are only judged by your results. I just hope he doesn't have to wait as long as me for the next win. That was a seriously long drought.'

Button shows the same artistry as Watson at the wheel; a natural talent that allows the car to flow through the corners with the minimum of effort. His style may not possess the aggression of Schumacher but Button can draw consolation from the fact that Watson eventually moved to McLaren and was in the running for the championship in 1981. Given his dubious facial growth, Button would also do well to note that Watson remained clean-shaven for the rest of his career.